Unemployed persons per job opening in May 2013

July 10, 2013

There were 3.8 million job openings on the last business day of May, little changed from April. The unemployed persons per job opening ratio has trended downward since the end of the recession and was 3.1 in May 2013.

When the most recent recession began (December 2007), the number of unemployed persons per job opening was 1.8. When the recession ended (June 2009), there were 6.2 unemployed persons per job opening.

The number of job openings was little changed over the month in most industries but rose in retail trade and fell in professional and business services. The number of job openings rose in the Midwest but was essentially unchanged in the other three regions.

Self-employment in the United States
Trends in self-employment by various demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including both the unincorporated and the incorporated self-employed, as well as data on paid employees who work for the self-employed.